


Time Passes Slowly Without You

by strangestolive



Series: Strangest Love [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-22
Updated: 2018-01-22
Packaged: 2019-03-08 00:32:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 657
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13446705
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/strangestolive/pseuds/strangestolive





	Time Passes Slowly Without You

“I’ve missed you so much” Eleven whispered to Mike.

The two of them were squished onto the recliner, tangled together in a mess of limbs. Mike’s arms were wrapped around her, as if she would disappear again if she wasn’t tight in his grip. Everyone had returned to the Byers’ household after doing their own part in closing the gate. Everyone was dead tired, having fallen asleep in different spots around the house. Mike and El were the last two awake, as if to make up for lost time.

“I’m so glad you’re safe.” Mike whispered back. “Three hundred and fifty-three days was way too long.”

El nodded her head, soft eyes locked with Mike’s.

“It wasn’t even a fully year but it felt like a lifetime, El.” He added. He lifted up his hand bringing it to her face, gently pushing away a stray curl. After returning from the lab, she had taken a quick shower. Now seeing what her natural hair had grown into, Mike could see the lovely mess of curls and he thought it was beautiful. “ **Time passes slower without you** , El. It really does.”

“I know,” El agreed with a frown. “I couldn’t handle it Mike, I visited you every night.” She reached out to touch Mike’s arm, tracing small patterns there with her fingers. “I visited you in person one day, I followed you to the school.”

“What do you mean? When was this?” Mike asked with wide eyes.

El sighed before speaking. “I couldn’t take it anymore, you said you needed me. So I snuck out of the cabin and made my way out of the woods and to school. It was after Halloween.” She explained.

Mike blinked. “Did you find me?”

“Yes.” El nodded her head slightly. “You were in the gym. You were with her.” Mike watched as Eleven turned her head, looking at Max who was sleeping on the couch, giving her a quick glare.

“That was you?” Mike gasped. “You knocked Max off of her skateboard!”

“You were smiling with her.” Eleven said, as if that was a reason for making the other girl fall. “Did you like her?” El whispered.

“El, she’s barely even my friend.” Mike answered seriously. “I haven’t stopped thinking about you since I met you!”

“You’re not lying, right?” El asked. Her voice was quiet, her fingers still tracing circles on Mike’s arm. “Some  **people lie all the time**.”

Mike could hear the fear in her voice. Hopper had lied to her before, telling her that she could see Mike soon but never actually letting her go. Brenner had lied to her the whole time she was in the lab. She didn’t even know that her mother was alive until a few days ago. She had reasons to not trust easily.

“Friends don’t lie, I would never lie to you.” Mike assured her, squeezing her hand tight. El nodded at his answer, giving him a small smile. “Besides, Dustin and Lucas have been pining over her since she showed up to science class.”

Eleven nodded, understanding Mike’s words. She looked over at Dustin who was curled up on the floor wrapped in a blue blanket. Lucas laid next to him, splayed out on the floor like a starfish with only a pillow under his head. She smiled at the two boys, the two friends she had missed dearly the past year. She thought about their short time together and looked forward to the new memories she would make with them in the future. She looked back at Mike, seeing that his eyes hadn’t left her. The memories that she was going to make with him were the ones that she looked forward to the most.

“Friends don’t lie.” She whispered softly as she placed her head on Mike’s chest, leaning her weight onto him. Mike Wrapped his arms tighter around her, holding her safe.

“Yeah, friends don’t lie.” Mike whispered back.


End file.
